The King of the Skies
by Sdebeli
Summary: Complete AU/Naruto/In a broken world, a young boy struggles to accomplish his dreams. Torn between duty and love for his adoptive family, and the desire to find out the truth behind his father and the encroaching darkness, will the young Naruto survive?
1. Opening

**Author's Ramblings:** Hello everyone, I'm back with yet another story. This is a crazy idea that has been in my mind ever sine a fellow who's name I can't remember, and I can't dig out the message he sent me for the idea that inspired this. So if you recognize yourself in this, please message me so I can put the credits for inspiring me here. Also, sorry for not updating my other stories, but I've been having the mother of all writers' blocks, and progress is painstakingly slow, and the mess I have at college isn't really helping all that much.

A few warnings beforehand. Most characters from the Nartuoverse will NOT be making an appearance. Apart from Naruto and a select few other, none of them will be showing up, and most will be somewhat if not more OC. This story is mostly fiction, so sit down and enjoy :P

I will not coddle you, point everything out, or bombard you with information so you could understand everything. Things will, at times, be left out, only to be explained later, and just because you see the most obvious reasons for things, don't assume that they are the correct ones

I'm going to give one final word of warning. So far, I went outside of the expected, and messed with everything that seemed fun to mess with. This time I have no boundaries to stop me. Expect chaos :D

_**Name: **__The King of the Skies_

_**Genre: **__Drama/ Adventure_

_**Ranking: **__M (there will be cursing, blood, death, violence and possibly sex)_

_**Pairings: **__none as of yet_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters taken from that series. I do however own every idea I've created here

* * *

**_

_The King of the Skies_

_Look into the dawn sky_

_Do you see the clouds coming?_

_The storm that will rise soon_

_Is showing its first signs._

_Fear not the coming storm_

_Nor its heralds._

_Fear not the change they bring,_

_But embrace it with all your heart._

_Instead of cowering_

_Stand tall,_

_Instead of running away_

_Walk forward,_

_Face the coming_

_Of the true King._

_The time has come._

_Last words of the Seer Galamthor

* * *

_

The sound of torrential rain and wind was the only thing coming from the outside. Five kids, between ten and fifteen years of age, huddled around a small fireplace, using the torn-up, moth-eaten blankets to keep whatever warmth they could to themselves while they tried to sleep. All but one, the oldest among them. A relatively tall, and lean blond boy who was currently leaning against the stone of the fireplace, a small knife carving the wooden piece in his hands. A soft smile covered the boy's face as he went on with his task, slowly carving the small block of wood into the shape of an intricate bird, likely a snow dove by its appearance. A gift, the best one he could make for someone dear to him.

"Mmmhhh..." came a soft mumble from next to him. "...Naruto? You're still up?" a female voice asked. Naruto turned to the slightly younger girl next to him, the smile turning into a grin.

"Of course I'm up," he retorted offhandedly, eyes never focusing on the matters in his hands. "Someone has to look after you bunch. Get back to sleep, Maire. We'll likely have a long day ahead of us tomorrow," he chided the little brunette, picking up a corner of the blanket between his toes and pulling it to better cover her. He laughed quietly when the girl merely scooted over to him, placing her head in his lap. "Sweet dreams, little sister. May the angels watch over you," he whispered as he lightly ruffled her hair before returning to his carving, making sure that none of the splinters fell on Maire's face.

Time passed, and he was still carving, all the while whistling a jaunty tune, low enough not to wake up the others. The occasional glance outside told him that the wind had long since stopped blowing, and that the rain had been reduced to a few drops here and there while the night sky slowly parted, revealing the moon and stars.

Naruto placed the knife back into its leather sheath under his longer left sleeve, reattaching the straps that held it in place. He placed the small wooden bird on the ground next to him, planning to get a leather loop to hang it off later. Gently, he raised Maire's head from his lap, making sure that his own blanket provided a comfortable place to rest for her head as he slipped away. He chuckled lightly as the girl moaned at the loss of warmth and comfort.

Dusting himself off, he rechecked that everything was in place. His light, beige pants, cut off right above his ankles were made for mobility above all. Above those was a long-sleeved jacket, the right sleeve torn off under the elbow and connected to a long bracer that covered the rest of the arm, finally connected to a fingerless glove with a metal plate on the back of the hand. As his right hand moved to reveal a small blade hidden on the bracer, telling that there was likely more than met the eye to this boy.

Having finished the checkup, he walked over to the broken door. Beyond, one could easily see the expanse of the slums, with the rest of the city staying on a higher layer. This was their world, a world that had faced the coming end once and survived, if only barely, remaining little more than a number of scattered rocks floating in the ether around them, held from falling by the potent magics that tore the world apart over half a millennium ago.

The city's name was Khaldoris, a proud mercantile city-state, well known for its riches, for its culture and most importantly, for its water farms. Indeed, even in this 'enlightened' age, the lack of water was a serious problem, seeing as apart from the rainfall, there was nearly no way to gather water. There were always rumors; stories of hidden continents under the layers of mist, but no one in their right mind risked their airships to descend that low, and lose the cover of magic that allowed them to fly.

Eyes moved quickly to the night sky, locking onto a passing ship as it momentarily showed itself against the background of the stars. Long hull-shaped suspiciously like a fish-six long metal fins that served as a means of maneuvering through the air, and the twin frontal lights that helped docking and avoiding collisions identified it as the 'Valakar's Delight,' a cruise ship that carried the rich and famous to and from one of the isolated resorts, or simply to another city while they enjoyed the cruise and passing scenery.

A completely blank look covered his eyes, a sure sign of his daydreams returning full force. If Naruto ever had a dream, it was to fly, to gain his own wings.

"Ten years tomorrow, huh boss?" came a voice from right next to him, which he clearly identified as Kaesa, the second oldest kid in the group. The red-haired boy eyed him worriedly.

"Yah."

"It'll be a fine day tomorrow," Kaesa continued, trying to start up a conversation to steer his fearless leader's mind away from such depressing thoughts

"Yah," was his reply... again.

"You're going to keep sayin' 'yah' regardless of what I ask you, aren't you?"

"Yah," Naruto absentmindedly responded, though a mild grin returned to his face, and Kaesa knew he had done his good deed for the day.

_'The boss did so much for us, the least I can do is guide his thoughts away from the memories. Maybe if we can pull it off tomorrow...' _he mused, joining Naruto at looking at the heavens above, as the blond had sat down, leaning into the wall behind him. Kaesa offered his blanket, but the blond merely waved him away.

"Suit yourself, boss. I'm keeping my hide warm, even if you don't want to," he muttered, bringing out a full laugh.

"You're not going to go away, are you?" Naruto quietly asked, the smile never leaving his face.

"And have you here sulking alone all night? Hell no!" Kaesa returned, in a much, much louder voice. "Naruto, we all know how much tomorrow means to you, and you know we _will_ make sure everything goes fine," he spoke, lightly sighing at the end. "Get some sleep, boss; you need it more than I do."

"Everyone does, considering you spend the better part of your day lazing about," Naruto quickly bit back as he got up, the ill humor momentarily forgotten as he teased his friend. '_Maybe, just maybe everything will turn out alright,_' the blond morosely thought, a smile coming unbidden to his face. He had another family, once, but this was his family now, and for their sake, he'd do his best.

Taking one last look at his small family, he laid down his head on the makeshift pillow he used, before sleep overcame him.

* * *

_Next morning, the Great Causeway, Temple of Khor Akad, the Forsaken

* * *

_

The sound of trumpets broke the temporary silence, bringing a flock of birds into the air from their perches among the spires of the great temple of the Forsaken God, Khor Akad. Today was an important day, and the Great Causeway—the largest street in Khaldoris, stretching for over three kilometers and ending on one side it the gates of the royal palace, while the other was at the temple, raised in honor of the guardian god—was packed full of people who had come to witness this important event.

Today was a special day, after all. The day the crown prince Mersaid of the noble house of Arath was to become _king_ Mersaid. Most of the countries people, including his younger brother, Nilvaine were perfectly fine with that, and—at least on the surface—peace reigned on this important day. The massive dark-haired man walked confidently along the long boulevard, the gathered crowd along the edge cheering for their young king as he walked, escorted by the Gray Dragoons, the king's elite guard. One could hardly tell that the twenty-two year old Mersaid was a prince, as the man seemed more like a veteran soldier, which he in truth was, considering that the man walked dressed in the fine magicked plate of the Gray Dragoons. The symbolism wasn't lost on many of the more influential figures within the city. This was no longer the timid prince who joined the army five years ago.

However, it wasn't the only event of interest. The fact that most of the city was glaringly empty was about to be abused by a group of five kids who had planned for this event for over two months, ever since the public coronation was announced. If there was one thing being a street rat was good for, it was learning how to survive and gather information. And drunken, underpaid guards were perfect for such things.

It was still morning, and a thin veil of mist covered large parts of the city, obscuring the vision of the pedestrians just enough to give the children room to pass safely over the rooftops, using the long line of stringed buildings and small breaks between roofs to make their way towards their target.

The plan was daring, it was brilliant... it was also complete and utter suicide for anyone rational to attempt. After all, what man in their right mind dared to attempt to infiltrate the reliquary of the Royal Museum to steal a map of all things? However, considering that these were children—who had a good idea of what the map was supposed to point to, and had really no better chance to get out of the gutters—the reasoning was obvious. That, and it was a challenge, something the budding little thieves loved like nothing else.

The Royal Museum was not obviously guarded, but there were a number of patrols, most of them dressed like civilians, rather than the soldiers they were, to avoid attracting attention and to keep the normal populace content and relaxed. The tall, five-story building was one of the city's highlights, though in truth, it had a glaring number of defensive weaknesses. After all, it wasn't a fortress, but a showroom for the various relics that the old kingdom had gathered over the years and decades. The Gothic style in which it was built left no obvious openings, but any sharp eye would have noticed a number of ventilation shafts at the roof, several side doors, and a number of windows at the side that could be abused by any burglar. On the inside, the security would be far harsher, but still, for one reason or another, the installation of security devices was avoided, a fact that Naruto himself had discovered by spying on the guards.

The small group of five consisted of Naruto, Maire and Kaesa from last night, along with two more kids; Nakaiz, a burly, brown haired short boy of 12 who had turned out to be a natural at lock picking and finally Samara, the planner of the group, a silver-haired girl of 13 years.

Naruto smiled slightly under the gray shawl that covered most of his face, a pale blue hooded cloak covering the rest. '_I'm coming, you old bastard, whether you're ready or not,_' he thought, the oncoming rush of adrenaline at the idea of robbing the heavily guarded museum making his heart beat faster. No one would ever expect a bunch of kids to do it... and that was just why they would succeed. As they ran past the procession, he turned shortly to take a look at the future king, resisting the urge to shake his head in disapproval. He didn't really care who was king, as he knew full well that the situation for those who lived in the slums wouldn't change a bit regardless of who came to power. But just before he turned and continued, he could have sworn that the king's brother, Nilvaine had turned and looked straight at him. He shook off the feeling, seeing as none of the royal magi in the escort moved to react, he figured he was seeing things.

"Brother? Did you notice something?" Mersaid quietly asked his younger brother, one of the few men whose loyalty and skills he explicitly trusted.

"Nothing... I think I might be seeing things from lack of sleep," Nilvaine irritatedly responded, bringing a chuckle from his older brother. "Keep walking, _your royal majesty_. We wouldn't want your _highness _late for the coronation, no?" he added sarcastically, while Mersaid merely kept chuckling lightly as they walked on. Inwardly, Nilvaine wondered just what he had seen a few moments ago, a finger idly scratching his palm, something he often did when his trouble-foretelling instincts kicked in... a fact that wasn't lost on neither his brother, nor the honor guard that followed him around. The group quietly prepared for the worst, while still holding an outward appearance of calm. It would do little good to incite fear and panic among the populace; if something was about to happen, and the guards hadn't noticed anything... this was the best course of action.

His close friend, Kaesa quickly broke off from the group, ready to do his part of the job as scout as he slid down the drain pipes that led from the roof, and jumped onto the thick wire that connected to the museum roof. Agile and light, he effortlessly pulled himself to the other side, landing on the surface of the roof with a soft 'thud.' Quiet as ever, he used the cover of the slowly dissipating mist to scour the roof for any sentries that might have been beyond the sight of his group, before giving the 'all clear' signal to the others.

A few minutes later, the entire group had moved over the thick metal wire to the roof, with Nakaiz preparing to open the lock that lead downward, into the upper level of the museum, the part that was right above the reliquary they were about to raid. On the floor next to him was a small leather roll-up bag with a number of small metallic rods, the set of lock picks he kept close for whatever door needed to be opened, and—as expected—the lock proved to be of little concern to the boy. Naruto, Maire and Samara quickly moved in, while Nakaiz and Kaesa remained to keep watch over their escape route, ready to bolt as soon as it was necessary, one to run away to draw the pursuers off, the other to warn the rest of the gang.

Maire effortlessly guided the group by the mental map from her memory. Naruto had managed to get her a rough but accurate sketch of the last two floors, though the patrol routes weren't available. With Samara's help, she found that it was easy to get such a task done. To her surprise, the guards were subpar to those that normally guarded public institutions... likely because the number of exhibits here had been drastically reduced in recent years. Well, what they didn't know was missing, wouldn't cause problems. The stairs were on the other side of the floor, and there were five guards patrolling the three long, connected corridors that spanned the floor; the offices between provided ample cover for the trio as they sneaked past the guards, managing to reach the stairs just barely.

The lower floor was empty, as it was merely a few large rooms filled with old records no one really used anymore. However, between those rooms was another, one that no one was obviously aware of apart from the kids about to raid it. Naruto couldn't contain the smile that came up on his face, though it was concealed by the shawl, and pulled out the small blade he would need for the task as he counted off the rooms they passed

'_First, second, third, fourth... there, the fifth office from roof down, cut between John and Kane_. _What did the old bastard think by that_?' he thought as they moved into the room. The record room consisted of a number of large bookshelves that spanned from floor to ceiling as well as a single small desk with a lamp used to sit down and read from the massive books. On a hunch, Naruto moved to the shelf marked off as 'J', looking at the books, but nothing came to mind until he noticed that the next shelf was marked off as 'K.' The strange, long wavy dagger that slid into his hands from underneath the bracer on his right arm easily slid into a small crack between the two shelves, a loud clicking sound being the only indication that something had happened.

* * *

_Five years earlier, Khaldoris public cemetery

* * *

_

A ten-year-old Naruto looked through bleary eyes at the fresh heap of earth that was the grave of his recently-departed mother, Kushina. The illness that had swept the entire city had taken her as well, though if he was older, he would have been glad that her suffering was minimal. He had spent the better part of two days crying his eyes out, ever since his mother's eyes closed for the last time.

'_It's raining,_' the older man tiredly noted as he watched his own son standing in front of his wife's grave. There were a number of things he wanted to say, a number of things he desperately wanted to do... but none of those was an option. His only hope was a silent prayer to Khor Akad to watch over the boy.

"Naruto," he quietly called the boy, knowing that he recognized him, but made no effort to show so. He agreed with him, he had no right to call himself the boy's father after he had seen him a total of four times over the last ten years. "You know I can't stay."

"I don't want you to stay," the boy responded, an angry tone entering his voice. "You couldn't stay for mother when she needed you. I don't need you anymore," he angrily spat at the ground, tears sliding down his cheeks

"I know. I only hope you are never forced to make the same choices I had to," he tiredly murmured, oddly sure that the boy heard him. "I wish to leave you something before I run off. Consider it my challenge to you."

Naruto never turned, but he heard the characteristic sound of a blade stabbing itself in the dirt. By the time he had turned to take a look at it, his father was long gone. In his place, was a strange blade; a dagger, ceremonial in purpose most likely, with a wavy long blade that seemed completely dull, and yet he had accidentally cut himself when he picked it up. There was a note rolled around its hilt.

'_One day, when you decide it's time, seek me out. I have left a clue in the place where the stories of old lie, in the fifth room from the attic, between John and Kane._'

He almost tore it apart when he met the eyes of a little girl—eyes just as teary as his own, though she seemed even younger—kneeling at the graves of what he assumed to be her parents. She was alone, just like him. He put on a brave face, forcing the tears to stop flowing as best as he could, and walked over to her, crouching next to her.

"Hey... I'm Naruto," he offered with a hopeful smile, one that the girl returned, even if it was through tears, all the while offering his hand to the younger girl.

"I'm.... Maire," the girl responded through sobs, grasping his hand between the two of hers, as if frightened by the possible loss of contact. Naruto could only hold back his tears, and offer a strong front for her. Just like him, she had no one. If she would do the same for him, he would be there for her.

* * *

'_We're almost there little sister,_' Naruto quietly mused as the small reliquary closed itself, and the precious package concealed within moved to the spot underneath his clothes. All that now remained was to escape. He barely contained the curse that wanted to escape his mothmouth as large explosion that came from downstairs rocked the building.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Hello everyone, and thank you for taking the time to read the first chapter of my new story. I have decided against placing note marks in my text, mostly because it would ruin the experience of reading, but a number of things require explanation, such as the deities of this world, some technological terms, and the explanations of certain names and titles. Keep in mind that this world is a combination of steam-punk and high epic fantasy. I was inspired by my recent watching of such things as Walt Disney's Fantasia, along with a number of others. I wish to maintain a level of mystique in this story, to keep you guessing just what is and isn't possible. As you have already noticed, this is not a standard Naruto story, and don't expect it to turn into one. Though much to my annoyance, there are a few cliches I'll have to use at some points, but none of those often abused, or at least I hope so.

My biggest wish here, was to create a whole world, not just paint a copy of one. For what it's worth, I hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Well, enough of my ranting, here are the explanations you were waiting for, consider it background knowledge.

(1)

_Khor Akad, aliases the Forsaken God, the Lord of Guardians and Great Protector_

The chief amongst Theilrune's deities, and the first son of the Creator, holder of his title because of the fact that he was the only one not to abandon the mortal races in the moment of the apocalypse, taking the brunt of the blow that would have taken the lives of all living beings, and sacrificed most of his power by binding himself to the belief of the people to maintain what land could be saved. Almost all people say their prayers to the Lord of Guardians, if not in gratitude, then in hope that he would watch over them or their loved ones. All major cities have at least one temple or shrine dedicated to him, and the traveling priests and warriors of the Guardian God are rarely refused hospitality

(2)

_The Apocalypse of Theilrune_

A century ago, in his infinite arrogance, the Sorcerer-king Ilrrah Sen Khorath attempted to wrest the very magic of the land from the gods, planning to turn himself into a divine, omnipotent being. However, the attempt turned into disaster as he had disrupted the natural bonds the Creator himself had formed between his first children and the land, and the magic he intended to steal... turned against him and the world around him, ripping both into shreds and leaving little more than a collection of floating rocks that orbit in a layer of magic strong enough to hold them afloat. That same layer is covered by a thin mist, leaving the realm beneath and above completely uninhabited, at least to the knowledge of those who live there, as all who tried to leave never came back

(3)

_The Airships of Theilrune_

Seeing as there was no means of direct communication between the floating islands except by a handful of surviving griffons (the dragons were far less willing to cooperate with such a 'foolish and shortsighted race', and promptly faded into obscurity), a collaboration between the Artificers Guild of the surviving city of Khaldoris, and the Junkers' Alliance created the first Airship, a heavier-than-air machine fueled by a central magical core that held it aloft in the magically charged air. The ship, named fittingly '_New Hope_' took its first flight nearly fifty years after the Apocalypse, traveling between Khaldoris and Noradar, once the greatest trading center in the old world. Within a decade, old connections were restored as if they had never faded, as thousands rushed into the heavens on newly built ships, or old seaworthy ones, retrofitted by the Junkers' alliance. Over the century since then, the same technology used to create the airships allowed the construction of the Great Toad, connecting Khaldoris, Noradar and the Jungles of Halicos, the largest surviving island, a former jungle continent which is also the only surviving functional ecosystem, and the big cities main source of drinking water.

* * *

_Edited: I would also like to add my thanks to my new beta Juopunumies for his infinite patience with my many, many spelling and punctuation errors_


	2. Secrets

**Author's Ramblings: **Hmmmm... not as much of a response as I had hoped, but still… I suppose it could be worse. On to the story; I've decided to add a short break from the last chapter to make it easier to follow. Apart from that there's little interesting to say or add...

Also, I want to thank my first reviewers on this story, namely Hades252(2), Juopunumies, Bitter Faerie and finally Libra'sAngel27. Thank you for taking the time to write rather praising reviews (especially for a one chapter story :D)

Anyhow, back to the story, things will still remain a bit difficult to follow for a while yet, and I intend to introduce a lot of new things as time goes. Some will be explained, and some not yet. Well, enough of that, enjoy the new chapter.

* * *

_Last time_

_'We're almost there little sister,' Naruto quietly mused as the small reliquary closed itself, and the precious package concealed within moved to the spot underneath his clothes. All that now remained was to escape. He barely contained the curse that wanted to escape his moth as a large explosion that came from downstairs rocked the building. _

_Now, onward to the new chapter:

* * *

_

_Chapter 2: Secrets_

It took around five seconds for the walls to once more settle after the explosion that shook the very foundations of the building. Maire and Samara were almost panicking, though it was held in check by Naruto's presence, but even to them, it was obvious how tense and nervous he was, standing like a cat on a hot tin roof and ready to bolt at the first sign of danger. Explosions like that didn't happen accidentally, and he really wasn't looking forward to finding out who, or worse still, what caused it. However, the cracking of the floor beneath him gave him a very clear image of what he was supposed to do.

"Maire! Samara! Run like hell!" he shouted instantly, bringing the two girls out of their stupor and making them spring towards the exit. He kept behind them while making sure that they were making way towards the roof. The wire was the only relatively safe way out, and he prayed the entire way that it was still whole. The carpeted covering hid what he was sure were growing cracks on the floor as the trio ran, the lamps around them flickering as the power grid was disrupted by whatever was happening below them.

He didn't have the time to think about it as he guided the small group in avoiding the few guards that remained up, and weren't running to investigate. The single guard he had seen a glimpse of was armed to the tooth, almost as if they were actually expecting trouble. A standard military saber, coupled with one of those magic-reinforced rifles that could pierce stone with little problem, obviously not something he wanted aimed at his own body, or those of his family.

Samara kept moving, pulling the shorter girl along as they ran. She knew that Naruto was right behind her, but his steps, thanks to the carpeting, were noiseless and silent to her. Not that it was much of a change; the blond was as stealthy as a kid could be when he wanted. She knew he normally made an effort to walk loudly around them, so he wouldn't scare them. But still, current danger took precedence over past events. She could safely contemplate her older brother's skills once they were safely back in their lair. The situation rattled her cage more than a bit; museums weren't what she would consider an interesting target, and honestly? She thought that it would take a bit more subtlety to rob one. And like Naruto, the years spent living on the streets made sure she had little desire to expose herself to such dangers needlessly. So she kept running.

* * *

Baptism by fire. The only words that occurred to the young king as he was informed that the museum, or more specifically, the grand vault beneath it, was attacked. Mersaid didn't even want to begin to consider what kind of chaos would be unleashed if what was sealed down there was released. But then again, who would attack such a seemingly inconspicuous target so openly? And during the day of the coronation, when the majority of the army was present, no less? Two things came to mind: it was either someone who had little fear of his army... or someone that wanted to actively undermine his authority as king. The coronation was already interrupted, as he had no intention of letting such a slight go unpunished. To his pleasure, the people didn't make much of a mess, content in the knowledge that their soon-to-be king was off protecting them, rather than sending young soldiers and guards to their death fighting an unknown foe. He knew that had bought him more than a few points with his people.

But, when he saw the blasted and partially melted doors of the museum, he had his fill for the day.

"Nilvaine, Khoras, Atarai," he shortly called, and the three strongest and most capable of the Gray Dragoons walked out. "Spread out and catch anyone who might have seen anything. I want to know what the hell happened here. Go above and beyond, I don't care if you have to detain damn royalty."

"Sir!" the trio spoke in agreement before breaking off, each heading in a different direction. Nilvaine took off for the stairs, while Khoras and Atarai searched the ground floor. Mersaid, escorted by the remaining two dozen Gray Dragoons, and flanked by the royal archmage, Gweryn Colsah, a sturdy, white-bearded geezer with more power at his fingertips than most living beings, descended the stairs that officially led to the storerooms, his hand gripping the handle of his great-sword in his hands. A sinking suspicion was growing in him, and the idea it was bringing up was potentially even worse than the original one.

"Gweryn?"

"Your majesty?" the aged man responded respectfully, nearly chuckling at the annoyed face of the younger king despite the seriousness of the situation

"Is there any chance that..." he trailed off, not willing to spill more than he had to, though the implications were more than enough.

"_Him?_"Gweryn responded quickly. "Doubtful... the bonds holding _him_ are beyond mortal ability to break. My father fueled the spells and wards with his very soul. _It_ _will_ _not_ _break,_" he added adamantly. Though as they descended, a sliver of doubt began creeping into his heart as well, as the sight of the butchered guardians came into vision.

King Mersaid Arath was growling with rage at the sight; these weren't just simple soldiers, but the elite Templar of the church of Khor Akad, clad in armor solely rivaled by that of his own Gray Dragoons, armed with swords that could cut steel like a hot knife through butter, and each and every one of them was a veteran with at least two decades of experience over him. Yet there they lay, butchered like fowl going against a pack of wolves. Whatever it was, he now knew that this was no longer in any way naïve or harmless. It wasn't from the moment the explosion sounded throughout the city, but he had hoped that it was less of a problem... now it was no longer the case.

Steeling himself, he continued along the blood-soaked corridor, followed by the echoing sound of plated boots hitting stone.

* * *

Kaesa loudly cursed as he spotted the running figures of his three friends and the guards behind them; though, it was the latter that brought on the cursing. He had no intention of being caught, or being dragged off to be questioned about just why he and his family were breaking into the museum... and he certainly didn't want to know just what caused the explosion a little while ago. Naruto was neither stupid enough, nor properly equipped to cause something like that, so he was sure it was someone else.

"Naruto! Over here!" he shouted, waving at the additional wires he had set up while they were waiting. Nakaiz had already rappelled over, using the incline to simply slide down the wire, while Kaesa stayed behind to prepare the exit for the others. Once more, he reminded himself to get something nice for Maire; it was the little girl's quick thinking that got them the extra wires, and he was pretty sure that they would be in deep shit if it wasn't for them.

"Where's Nakaiz?" Samara breathlessly asked, while the two guards after them were running out of breath and slowing down.

"Down, now go!" Naruto shouted, pushing the girl down the wire while he and Kaesa stayed back to make sure the guards had no chance to catch them.

"Stop you damned brats!" one of the guards shouted as he raised his rifle, pointing at the two of them, the other instantly following suit.

Naruto moved before Kaesa on pure instinct. Protect family at all costs.

"Kaesa," he whispered. "Slide down, I'll hold them off as long as I can... and please take good care of Maire," he ordered. His response was a swift bonk on the head.

"Stop with the theatrics boss," the shorter boy responded angrily. "You know both Maire and Samara will tan my hide if I let you stay here," he added jokingly. "So, let's figure out something and get the hell out of here."

Naruto quietly nodded to this, but then noticed another figure walking out from the door to the roof, one he instantly recognized as the king's younger brother Nilvaine. Not that it was hard, considering just how famous the man was.

"Stand down," he ordered in an authoritative voice, the deep baritone instantly causing the two guards to stiffen as they recognized just who was behind them. The imposing figure, easily over two meters tall, clad in a suit of master-crafted full plate and hefting a colossal axe on his back while his braided dark hair fell around his shoulders, demanded respect by its mere presence. Nilvaine Arath, alias Black Wind of the Gray Dragoons was not a man to be trifled with. Even with his youth, he commanded respect many thrice his age couldn't, as a warrior, battlefield commander and a leader. Divested of the cloak that usually covered the armor on him, the plates shone brightly in the morning sun.

It took all that Naruto had to stop the flooding panic. Guards he might have handled somehow, but this man was beyond his abilities. To fight him would mean to die, and he had little interest in that.

Nilvaine walked past the nervous guards, not paying them a bit of attention. He wasn't interested in them, but in these two boys, who had the courage, yes _courage,_ to try and break into the museum. That was enough to pique his interest. So he strode on, wondering if the apparent leader of the small group of thieves would notice that he had placed himself between the guards and them, giving just enough room for them to escape.

_'What's he doing?' _Naruto thought as Nilvaine's imposing figure approached. It was obvious, at least to him, that the man had chosen to place himself between the two of them and the guards, blocking their line of fire with his large frame. There wasn't time to think about it; it was either stay here and certainly be captured, or use this opportunity and hope for an escape.

To Nilvaine's contentment, the cloaked one quickly noted the opening, pulling his friend as he leaped at the wire. Nilvaine loved it when things went in interesting ways.

The two guards were now shaking, while the tall man laughed. He had actually let the brats go, and they would get shafted for their disappearance...

"Kratos, come out," Nilvaine shortly called, and a strange figure detached itself from his shadow, it's body completely wrapped in what looked like decaying bandages, with small strips and patches of leather here and there, all covered up in a long cloak, with a dark, dark red hood covering everything but two twinkling, red eyes.

"**I** ha**ve **the**ir **sc**en**t. **Wh**at a**re **y**o**ur _orders?_" the figure whispered, it's unidentifiable voice coarse and harsh.

"Good. Follow them, and report later. I have to go and help out my brother now," Nilvaine calmly stated, watching as Kratos melded with the nearest shadow, completely disappearing from their sights.

"And you two? What are you waiting for?" he spoke, the same ordering voice that would bring a corpse out of its grave and marching six rounds around the graveyard before it remembered it was dead. "Get a move on and help the other guards maintain peace"

"Yes sir!" the two shouted and ran off, leaving Nilvaine to chuckle as he looked over the edge of the building, smiling at the kids running off. A shame that he would have to capture them later.

* * *

Naruto shrugged quietly as he crash-landed on the neighboring roof, Kaesa rolling away to mitigate the damage, while he himself was pretty sure he had broken his arm in this occurrence, if the searing pain in two different spots was any indication.

But the important thing was: they escaped that confrontation, and his family was safe; for now, at least. He just couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched, and that Nilvaine Arath had something more planed than them simply escaping. Those things, however, were beyond his ability to predict and counter in any way. This was no longer him against petty criminals that lived in the slums, and who had _very _limited resources.

Naruto brushed himself off as he stood up, wincing slightly at the pain in his right arm, glad for the bracer that kept his arm from moving in more uncomfortable ways.

"Let's get moving boss," Kaesa shortly spoke as he put Naruto's healthy arm over his shoulder. Naruto noted that Kaesa had even noticed his bruised leg, even when he himself barely did.

"Kaesa, Naruto, are you two okay?" Nakaiz asked, the worry evident in the boy's tone as the two hobbled along.

"Yah, we're fine. Let's just get out of here before we're arrested," Naruto responded tiredly. He really wasn't in the mood for roof hopping right now, but there were no alternatives. His only saving grace was the fact that the jumps were short enough not to cause him any distress and pain.

As they kept moving away from the museum and closer to their slum home, Maire couldn't keep her eyes off her older brother. She worried for him greatly, and it wasn't just for the slight wounds he had received. She knew him better than anyone else, she could tell from the way he walked... hobbled that he was concerned with something, his gestures, normally calm and collected, were now far more nervous, as if he was expecting something to happen. She could only sigh sadly, though; if he didn't want to share his worries, she might as well try to talk to a wall.

It wasn't what he had expected. The chamber of the hidden vault that was beneath the museum, concealed by countless wards and kept under close watch by the Templar, was a spherical room, easily fifty meters in diameter, numerous chains heading from various, but by no means random points, in the smooth wall to a strange, metallic, liquid sphere in the center... the prison. Apart from that, there was a long platform that approached the five meter diameter silvery sphere, rows of reinforced chests on each side.

One chest, in particular, was broken, though the obvious corrosion of its metallic parts raised more than a few questions as to how it happened, the important part was that its contents, sealed here for safekeeping, were now gone, and with the death of the Records Keeper of the Templar, they stood very little chance of finding out exactly what was stolen in the first place... unless....

"**Hello mortals,**" came the ever-shifting voice of the being entrapped within the metallic sphere. "**Nothing for years, but now not just one, but more than a dozen visitors to my lonely home in a single day. I don't know whether to be concerned or celebrate.**"

Mersaid listened to the voice with no small amount of interest. After all, behind the barrier was an entity far older than him, one which possessed knowledge that would be important to him... but it was also a being incredibly dangerous, with a razor sharp intellect, and all the whimsicality of a child with none of the morals a human being would have. Truly, a thing of nightmares. He still shuddered at the memories of the stories Gweryn had told him.

"**Well? Are you people going to speak, or are you going to remain silent like that wretched abomination that just passed here?**" the being offered in a friendly voice, willingly slipping a bit of information, as if hoping to draw them into a conversation.

"Very well," Mersaid answered, understanding the warning in the older wizard's eyes. "What is it you want?"

"**What I want?" **the voice asked, feigning hurt. "**Why**,** merely a small chance to talk; it gets awfully boring here, so little to do to pass the time, you know."**

And surprisingly, he did know. Mersaid was never a man to sit still for long periods of time; he could only imagine what it must have been like for this being to spend the better part of fifty odd years here, entrapped and until now, alone. Nervously, he coughed, considering how best to start this disturbing conversation.

"**Oh, no need to be nervous, **_**mortal**_**. I am not going to harm anyone here... not that I could even if I would. I'm bored to tears, and I'd even discuss **_**weather **_**if it helped pass the time."**

"I see... my name is Mersaid Arath, king of Khaldoris. What is your name?**" **Mersaid started off diplomatically. After all, the best way to start a friendly conversation would be to exchange names, right?

"**Mersaid... what a curious name. So be it. You may call me Alussierai, the Queen of Reflections."**

the voice stated, it's nature changing, revealing it to be a more feminine one. Whether it was that of a woman, was still in question. He knew a being of great power was sealed here, but till now, he knew nothing more than that. However, the name, and more specifically title of the entity before him were enough to make cold sweat gather on the back of his head. This wasn't just any demon, but one of _the_ demons, one of the Great Five, the Queen of Mirrors herself, one of the five fallen gods.

"**I see my name still strikes fear into the hearts of mortal... how irritating, just because I'm a deity you feel the need to cower in fear. What a disappointment you are, young king. I had expected better. Your father was far less fearful when he first visited me,**" the being spoke in a disappointed tone. "**But I suppose beggars can't be choosers. You had relieved my boredom, if only by a bit, so here's a hint for you: **_**he**_** took the **_**Sidraei Tome.**__"_

Gweryn blinked before cursing loudly, and in such colorful language that Alussierai was laughing loudly. The others failed to understand just what was so terrifying about the book, but Mersaid knew better than to doubt the archmage. If he was worried, there was likely good reason for him to be.

"**Oh, I haven't laughed like that in a while... now, since you have what you came here for, would you please be so kind as to leave? I wish to return to my slumber.**"

The king nodded silently, even if he was irritated as hell that he was treated like a little child, he knew he was out of his league trying to bargain with an entity of such power. Wards may have kept her contained, but that did nothing to dampen the intellect that stood hidden behind the metallic shell, nor the fact that its sharp edge was aimed at anyone or anything that dared irritate her. Silent, he and his escort walked out of the chamber, Gweryn reapplying the wards to the doors to keep unwanted visitors out. It was almost a moot point by now, but there were other artifacts hidden there... and neither of them appreciated the idea of people running off with them.

Mersaid tiredly sighed as he ascended the stairs, taking a seat on one of them, gently using a whetstone to sharpen the edge of his blade, awaiting the arrival of his brother and the other Gray Dragoons he had sent out. Could this day somehow get any worse?

His worries were allayed, if only slightly, by the grin on his younger brother's face, and the cheerful, yet authoritative voice in which he barked orders at the museum guards. Nilvaine was always better than him at everything, but both brothers had long since stopped caring for such things. By law, Mersaid was the one who would claim the throne, and Nilvaine had done everything in his power to ensure his older brother had every advantage he needed to do so, if for nothing else, then to protect their two younger sisters.

The two sisters, Myriam and Issaire were in their teens now, and he still couldn't wrap his head around the idea that they were growing up. His thoughts fled to happier days, long ago when the four of them were still little kids, while the shadows that now crept close were still far, far away.

"What's the matter, brother? Old nightmares still haunting you?" Nilvaine kindly asked, while Mersaid merely shrugged, unwilling to discuss it.

"Any luck with witnesses?" he asked, diverting the course of the conversation

"Little. Of those who survived the initial attack, most have been reduces into panicked messes. If I had to guess, by the use of powerful illusion magics. Though, there was one potential lead I'm pursuing. So what happened in the vault?"

"I see... we'll talk more about it later... it's not safe to discuss such things here," Mersaid responded, slowly rising from his place on the stairs, and placing the great blade back on its holder. He steeled himself, forcing a confident look onto his face as he strode out. It would do little good to show weakness before his political enemies, and they were indeed many.

"Shall we, little brother?" he spoke in his usual tone, but an amount of confidence was already returning to the shaken man. Gods he could not fight, but mortals were a different altogether.

"Indeed," Nilvaine answered as the rest of the Gray Dragoons gathered up.

"Tharos, you and your squad get security detail here. Let no one but your superiors pass, even if anyone claims I've sent them," he barked the orders quickly. "Keirva, Lockhar, you're on recon duty with Nilvaine. Everyone else, return to your normal duties. Dismissed," he finished, waiting for a few moments for the group to disperse before he went to talk to the resident archmage. There were a number of things he wanted to know, and this time, he wasn't taking no for an answer.

* * *

**Author's notes: **And done. This went relatively fast, surprisingly... On another note, keep in mind the perspective of things. Naruto's skills may sound impressive, but they're impressive to a bunch of street rats, not to people trained to take them and break them apart. Also, he acts mature because he has to be. He takes care of what is essentially a family of five (himself included), while living in the city slums, where law doesn't function most of the time, and things such as gangs and starvation are everyday occurrences.

Also, for the uninformed, the term Dragoon doesn't mean the same as Dragon. It refers to a form of cavalry; though, if you're interested in learning more, look it up online.

The Templar referred to here are temple knights, not a religious order from our own world.

Hmm... I kinda dropped a lot of stuff into the story... things will slow down a bit after this chapter. I'll also post explanations of some, but not all new things, as I want to keep some of the mysteries going.

(1)

_The Five Fallen Gods_

At the time of the great apocalypse, five deities took leave of their posts, planning to usurp the celestial order of things at the moment of Ilrrah Sen Khorath's bid for power. The Five were cast off by their remaining brethren, forever marked with the shame of betrayal and named as the Demons. These five fallen gods each hold immense power, for their fall was purely in terms of their position in the family, not their divine powers as the creator still saw it fit to let them accomplish their tasks. It is unknown what may have prompted such a decision on both accounts; however the five demon gods are anything but predictable. Alussierai, the Queen of Mirrors was the goddess of chaos and change, a generally benevolent, if volatile deity, while others, like Transandur, the Grim Reaper, and god of death was simply interested in reaping more souls and maintaining some strange schedule known only to him. Their motivations are mostly beyond the ability of mortal minds to comprehend, though, when willing, they often help or hinder mortals, moving them like chess pieces on a board who's scope is beyond the vision of any man.

* * *

_Edited: I would also like to add my thanks to my new beta Juopunumies for his infinite patience with my many, many spelling and punctuation errors_


	3. Legacy

**Author's Ramblings:** Hello everyone. While this story hasn't yet attracted much attention, I hope that those who do read it, enjoy it. I won't bother with any further comments, but thanks to all those who bothered to read and review the story so far.

* * *

_Chapter 3 : Legacy_

_Noon, Edge of the city slums, Naruto's home_

Pain. A rather unpleasant feeling to have to be sure, and Naruto felt it on both his right arm and leg as he tried to keep still on the ramshackle bed. After getting back home, Samara had taken the time to prepare the main room for him, going as far as to waste a part of their limited supply of wood to start another fire, while the others went about their business. The straw beneath him felt unusually comfortable as he tried once more, futilely, to relax.

"Where is the patient?" came the voice Naruto least wanted to hear. It would be unkind to say that the boy was a coward, but there were few who knew the man and weren't afraid of him, or at least wary. Well, except for children that is.

Morias Tznaga, alias the Witch Doctor, was one of those people that gave you a bad feeling just by walking by. That cold, slightly insane look that would occasionally come to his eyes, as well as his practice of strange medicine were more than enough to start a number of rumors around him.

The bald, black-skinned man was dressed in what he called his 'formal' suit, namely gray cargo pants, a floor-long dark gray cloth trench coat, which was only different from his 'work' clothes by the fact that the three meter long string of beads that was usually wrapped around his neck and right arm, along with the oaken staff he carried were absent. The leather bag in his hand contained a number of medical instruments, as well as several bottles of murky substances that only _barely _passed as medicine... and not because of their quality.

"I'm over here," Naruto dejectedly stated as he prepared for something that would definitely hurt, either him, or his pockets... and most likely both.

"You again zhagra? What didja do this time? Got beaten by a crowd for stealing their wallets again?" he asked bluntly, not a hint of humor in his voice.

"Bad landing from a jump." Naruto equally responded.

"You learned to jump? I'd clap, but I'm strapped for time" Morias answered, showing no small amount of irritation that he had to patch him up. Again. With impressive speed, Morias applied a foul smelling tincture to Naruto's arm before placing a metal rod alongside it and bandaging it up, then moving to apply the same substance to the bruises along his leg. "Rest till tomorrow. If you break it up before then, the next time I use the anesthetic," he not so subtly threatened, and Naruto understood perfectly, gulping as the older man offered a short, demented smile before turning around and leaving.

_'What a long day' _Naruto irately thought as he laid down on his bed, tiredly letting his head sink into the makeshift pillow beneath it. With his arm and leg in a sorry state he was out of commission until at least tomorrow. He was just glad that Morias knew his business damn well, and that by this time tomorrow, his bones would be mended, even if he had to endure the foul stench of the ointment. _'What does he put into that thing, dung?' _he gingerly thought as he used his free hand to pull out the package they had managed to recover. He didn't think of this as stealing, seeing as it belonged to his family in the first place, and was only hidden inside the museum to hide and protect it.

Still, he had next to no idea what exactly 'it' was. From what little he remembered of his father, it could have been anything.

It was currently laying in his lap; the bundle of cloth wrapped around an unidentifiable object, and tied with a length of string was tantalizing, consistently piquing his curiosity. He had barely managed to stop himself from ripping it open back when he had found it, but now, there were no longer any reasons to stop. So with a gleeful smile, Naruto began unwrapping his present.

Maire wasn't feeling nearly as confident as her older brother. While she wasn't as well versed in the ways of survival on the streets, nor nearly as perceptive (and paranoid) as Naruto was, she knew when her family was troubled by something, and she knew Naruto better than anyone else, alive or dead. She knew that under that gleeful smile as he ripped the package open, he was worried. She knew that he knew that she was watching him from a distance, worried for him. And she knew that he would keep his lips sealed regardless of what she said or tried, just to stop her from worrying.

He was like that, willing to protect her from the horrors of the world around them, though she found it infuriating that he still treated her like a little girl. She was ten years old, a grown up!

Of course, every time she said something like that, he would laugh, and ruffle her brown hair, leaving it a complete mess. Even if she would pout and scowl then, she knew how much he cared for her. She knew he would gladly die for her if it was needed. And for that reason, she always felt indebted to him, and always wanted to do something in return, but she could never figure out what. Whatever she came up with seemed so unimportant, so meaningless, always seeming to fall short of what he did for her.

Such troubling thoughts came to her often lately, and her growing feeling of uselessness had only slightly diminished with the mess of today. She realized she needed someone to talk to, and Samara was the only one she could, as the boys lacked the understanding.

Slowly walking away from the large room that they used to sleep, she walked outside into the large platform that served as a backyard to them. It overlooked the vast void between the rock islands that floated in the ether around them, the thickening mist blocking off the view some kilometers away. She was never sure just how far she could see, but she didn't really care. The only thing worth watching to her was the stars at night, as well as the occasional bird that would fly by. Unlike Naruto, she had little fascination with the mighty ships that soared through the air around them, and more with the land she trod upon daily.

She would talk to Tznaga at times, pestering him for stories of times long since past, for tales of the world as it was, and he would at times speak back, or simply remain silent as he descended into his memories. No one knew how old Morias Tznaga was, he was simply a part of the slums as much as the broken down roads, rats and the occasional mold were... a fixture that was always there, and that you simply noticed one day among others, with no fanfare.

And the stories he could tell...

She sat down at the edge of the platform, legs dangling over the abyss below, eyes focused on the passing clouds. Noon had long since passed.

"Aaaargghhh! Fuck you, you asshole!" came the pained, but mostly irritated scream that could only belong to one person. And the shuffling of feet was enough to tell her that Naruto had, once again, gotten himself into trouble.

She got over as fast as she could, only to be greeted by the entertaining sight of Naruto trying to pull a mousetrap of his left index finger. She could only blink at the sight... that was what they were going after? What they risked their lives for? She felt a slowly growing tinge of anger at the thought until she noticed something in his right hand... a strange sphere made of a strange, black metal

"Hey boss, what's that?" Nakaiz curiously asked, pointing at the orb, after finally pulling off the mousetrap.

"That's what my damned father left behind for me..." Naruto responded, though there was little ire in his voice, taking one more look at the strange object in his hand. The sphere was smooth, perfectly round, and even though its surface felt finely polished, it cast no reflection. Idly, he tossed it from one hand to the other, trying to get a feel for it.

"Just what was that man thinking?" he asked no one in particular, not paying much attention to his surroundings. Finally, he let the orb rest between his fingers, grasping it with his left hand, and gazing into it. It felt inviting to his eyes, and strangely so.

'_Magic?_' he thought curiously, as he found it difficult to move his eyes away. It would have made some sense, his father did travel the world through and through, and magic wasn't exactly uncommon... one only had to look at the ground beneath their feet to be sure.

Slowly, but surely, the sounds of his family faded into the background of a growing sound of static, and he realized he no longer felt the bed he was lying on. Even more worrying, was the fact that his sight was slowly fading away, until nothing remained.

Nothing but him, and that strange black orb, which was now giving off an unearthly glow. And slowly even that faded away.

The first sensation that Naruto felt was cold. The faint whisper of wind in his ears came a distant second. Slowly, uncertainly, he opened his eyes to face a sight the likes of which he had never seen before.

Heaven. The marvelous cloudscape beneath him bathed in golden sunlight, giving the puffy white clouds a darker, almost metallic sheen. Up, in the distance, the stars were no longer hidden, and were now clearly glowing against the backdrop of a quickly darkening sky. Among them, the bright golden figure of the moon was shining back as the sun's own light slowly faded.

He felt the wind coursing through him, no longer cold, but not warm either. Curious, he looked down at his body, and all he saw was a white form in the general shape of his own body. His arm and leg no longer hurt.

Still, even when faced with all this beauty, something that he deeply appreciated and enjoyed, he couldn't help but ask the pivotal question of 'why'? What purpose this served, apart to gall his heart? What purpose did his father aim to achieve with this?

He saw something in the distance, something that he was partly worried might become the answer to his question.

Against the backdrop of the glorious sky, high above the remnants of ground beneath, stood a massive pillar of stone, ascending from the depths of the earth to these bright heights. Atop the pillar, perched like the nest of some gargantuan bird was a strange venue. A circular plate, surrounded by five jutting spikes at regular distances, greatly reminding him of a clawed hand holding something. The black, seemingly volcanic rock shone brightly in the light of the dying sun.

And yet, the strange, alien even, structure wasn't what caught his attention. No, it was the strange figure he saw there, hands kept spread by chains that tied it to the ground. From the distance he was at, it was impossible to tell who the person was, it was quite impossible to tell even its gender, but there was no confusing the fact that as the sun's light grew fainter, a strange light began to surround the figure. Slowly, the light grew brighter, gaining first a bright yellow color, then quickly darkening into an orange, then finally red hue as light turned to fire.

Instantly, the fire spread around him until the only thing the boy could see was a large black claw holding a burning fire in the coming night.

And just as he did, color began bleeding away from the picture, until the orb returned to focus.

Then, it faded away once more.

This time, the sensation was _different_. The frightening feel of metal against his skin as he opened his eyes once more was more than enough to have him worried, but once they were opened fully, the sensation was gone. This strange new landscape he found himself in took all of his attention.

The surface of metal stretched everywhere, far beyond his limited ability to see. If he had to guess though, he was inside a massive metal sphere of some sort, though the ripples he could see along the surface cast some doubt to that statement. A soft light that came from some unseen source illuminated the space.

It was surprisingly empty, apart for a strange, equally metallic structure of sorts in the middle... if one could call an ever-shifting maelstrom of flowing metal a structure. Above it, perched on the thing like a queen on her throne, was a woman that turned her gaze in his direction with something akin to curiosity.

Her skin was alabaster white, shining in the light it reflected; her hair was long and flowing as mercury.

It was the eyes, he thought, always the eyes that scared the most. The two eyes were like two black pearls, having neither an iris nor a pupil, but he could tell without a doubt that they were gazing at him, studying him, deciding something beyond the scope of his understanding.

And then the woman and her maelstrom throne vanished. There was no slow disappearance, no trace of some sort of magic being used to transport her. At one point, she was there, and at the next, she wasn't. That is, until she reappeared right in front of him. And smiled, revealing two rows of perfectly white teeth, before touching him lightly on the forehead.

The vision faded soon after

Alussierai watched the fading figure with a smile on her face. The boy was curious to her, but then again, being stuck inside a magic-forged prison with little to no entertainment made many things curious. Still, it did her immortal heart good to know that her gambit had paid off.

Raising her hand, a stream of the metallic substance around her followed, shifting and churning until it formed a small rectangular plate, and added a number of figures to form a chess set, completing the image. The game had long ago started, and she was curious as to what would happen soon. The pawn in front of the white queen had moved two steps forward, while the black pawn in front of its own king had moved a conservative one.

"**Queen's knight to B3,**" she murmured, a ripple going along the surface of her skin, while her left hand moved the white horse-shaped piece of metal to its new position, the smile never leaving her face as she waited for her opponent to make his move.

"**The game of Kings indeed,**" she stated, letting out a strange, but musical laugh that slowly changed from female to male, just as her body did.

"...what the hell?" Naruto muttered as sight of the room returned to him.

"Are you okay big brother?" Maire asked in a concerned tone, looking at him a bit strangely.

"How long have I been staring at this thing?" he asked, giving his head a short shake to clear his mind up.

"A few moments at most," Kaise responded to his question, already set in a comfortable position, leaning against the door frame. "Why?"

"It showed me... something, I think," Naruto flatly responded, eyes still glued to the sphere, yet nothing happened.

"Gee, talk about being vague..." Samara added, covering her eyes with her left hand, and shaking it slightly.

"Sorry, I'm not really sure _what_ I saw," Naruto said.

"Why not try and describe it?" Nakaiz helpfully added from his own spot near his feet.

"First, I saw the sky, like I was floating somewhere, far above the clouds. There was this pillar there, with a claw-like structure at the top, and a platform, with someone bound in chains. Then as the sun set down, it burst into flames," Naruto retold, taking a short break to take some air. A part of him wondered if they would think him insane... to him, it was strange enough as is…

"Then, the scene faded, and I appeared inside some gigantic metal sphere, and there was this woman there, sitting on something made of flowing metal. She had metallic skin, and completely black eyes. It was... surreal," he finally choked out. He had heard the term used a few times, but it was only now that it had any meaning to him.

"Then she just stopped being there, and appeared in front of me, poking me in the forehead and smiling. It all faded away after that."

For a few moments after his explanation, silence reigned over the small room. Maire was the first one to speak.

"Well, you're right. It is weird," she spoke calmly. "But I don't think those were simple hallucinations. I... recognize the first place you were talking about."

"Really?" Samara asked, eying the younger girl curiously.

"Mhm," she confirmed, nodding her head proudly before breaking out into a laugh. "But I'm hungry now! So food first, and stories after that!"

At those words, laughter filled the cramped room, and for a moment, the events of the past day were left behind, forgotten, as if they had never happened.

None of them noticed the two red eyes that blinked shortly before disappearing altogether.

* * *

_Noon, Khaldoris royal palace, Study of king Mersaid the First

* * *

_

The gentle clap of glass against marble was the only outward sign of irritation that Mersaid Arath bothered to show. The opulence of court was something that always suffocated him; the pressure of being something that he wasn't, that he never wanted to be in the first place.

The study that he and the archmage Gweryn now sat in was a prime example of that. Floors made of the finest gray marble, placed to frame a mosaic made of sandstone and granite. The floor around it was covered in silk carpets of the finest make, while the dark color of mahogany and ebony that the somewhat limited furniture was built off gave a fine contrast. Even the small library that was there showed the riches wasted on this building, as every tome was covered in the finest leather, printed on the highest quality paper, and using expensive inks.

Idly, he wondered just how many chests of gold were necessary to buy all of this. Though if there was one thing he did appreciate, it was the wine, that much he had to admit. His father had an exquisite choice in wine...

His father... a man whom he just couldn't figure out. A man of great foresight, who had lead his nation with great success for over three decades, and at the same time, a man who failed to properly prepare his children to succeed him. He was the prime example of that; until the age of seventeen, he was a blind fool who had only known the life at court. Had Nilvaine not goaded him into joining the army, right now, he would stand no chance whatsoever of doing his job properly.

Among those children, the first, and oldest was he, the second one was his sister Issaire, followed by Nilvaine and finally his youngest sister, Myriam. His three siblings were the most important people in the world to him. The thoughts of his late father soured the taste of his wine, though... and there were more important matters to think about.

Gweryn seemed to have similar problems, as he had only taken one short sip from his glass before completely abandoning it to the papers he was looking through, old reports if his eyes served him correctly. Reports about what, now that was a question he was interested in talking about.

"Any luck?" he asked the mage, taking another sip of the wine, unwilling to waste a perfectly fine bottle over his own darkening thoughts.

"Little of use." Gweryn replied morosely, stroking his beard.

"Hmm... so let's make a recap of it all. Someone powerful, someone that the goddess Alussierai referred to as a 'wretched abomination' and apparently male, laid waste to the hidden vault beneath the museum, butchered the Templar guards there and took something called the Sidraei Tome. Anything to add?" Mersaid spoke, counting off the facts on his fingers, and returned to his wine, pouring another glass while he waited for his aged mentor to respond.

"It was a sorcerer or mage of some sort. Highly skilled and versed in a number of different schools of magic. If you asked me thirty years ago, I could name at least five such individuals, but by now, all of them are either dead, disappeared or have no use for the tome. And if it's a new one, one that rose in the mean time, I have no idea who it might be."

"Gweryn. You never did say just what the Sidraei Tome was."

"The Sidraei Tome is a collection of writings on the subjects of warding and sealing by several powerful archmages from around five hundred years ago. It was kept under lock and key mostly because the book was what allowed Ilrrah Sen Khorath to try and make himself a god. However, while very powerful and important, I have no idea why anyone would want to steal it! The blasted thing is encoded, and worse still, written in the ancient language of its maker, Ixiarillissatre the Many-scaled, oldest of dragons. And she left this realm several thousand years ago," the mage finished, slumping his shoulders as he threw away the papers he had been reading. For the first time in years, Mersaid had seen his old mentor show the true frailty of his age. Unlike himself, Gweryn was born before the apocalypse, and survived to see nearly the entirety of his world destroyed.

Magi who didn't die in battle lived long lives; it was one of those universal truths that most people accepted. Being a near constant conduit for the vast magical energies that they wielded changed something inside, preserved them against the ravages of time better than any medicine.

Now, normally, much of that protection was worn away by the many vices wizards tended to indulge in, ranging from simple smoking and alcohol, to heavy drugs or worse. Gweryn lived an ascetic life, indulging only occasionally in a glass or two of wine.

"What worries me most," he began again, "is that there is one person who might be able to read those texts, and maybe even decipher them. Even if he would be loathe to cooperate with just about anyone."

* * *

_Dusk, Royal gardens

* * *

_

Nilvaine opened a tired eye from his comfortable spot beneath the tree. Gone was the suit of armor, and the great axe that he effortlessly hefted around, and the young man of twenty was now dressed in his everyday clothes. Considering how simple they were, combined with his calloused hands and tanned skin, one would think he wasn't royalty.

He had chosen to take a nap here, knowing that sooner or later, he would be woken up by the beautiful and charming voice of his youngest sister. At the age of twelve, Myriam was a sweet, innocent girl who idolized her older brother...

"Nilly!" he heard her content shout. There was no one else in the entire world he'd let go with such a silly nickname. Myriam was the sole exception, and he couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm as she crashed into him with a flying tackle/hug. "You're back!"

The slight pain in his chest at her crashing into him was worth seeing the smile on the little girl's face.

"Of course! Didn't I promise I'd be back in time?" Nilvaine softly answered, ruffling Myriam's long black hair while he himself smiled widely.

"You did." she whispered, nuzzling into his chest happily, before jumping off suddenly. "I almost forgot! I made you something."

"Oh? Let me see," he answered with almost childish glee. Quickly enough, Myriam started going through the small backpack that she had carried so far.

'_She's grown since I've last seen her..._' he idly noted, observing her quietly. The girl had inherited their mother's green eyes and face, but their father's black hair.

He found it funny at times to remember how much he felt jealous of the little girl when she was first born. As the third son of the family, it was already hard as it was to get any attention to himself, and the then eight-year-old boy was angry.

So one night, he had done something truly stupid. He took the little girl from her cradle, and tried to leave the castle. Thanks his then-pathetic orientation skills he ended up in the gardens, where he was too tired to continue. And Myriam had begun crying...

He remembered that he turned her around, and that she had stopped crying and smiled at him. He didn't know why, and he didn't know if she was aware of what he had planned to do, but he felt ashamed. Even then, the little girl had placed her complete trust in him, and he had the nerve to try and harm her.

He never told anyone the story, and he had sworn that night, on his own blood, that he would protect her, no matter what happened.

"Here!" the girl shouted, bringing him up from his trip down memory lane, and holding in her hands a simple necklace, consisting of a length of thin, but solid rope and a small coin with a hole in the middle attached. On each side of the coin were four symbols, each of the carefully carved into the golden surface facing one of the cardinal directions, as if on a map.

"You made this?" he asked, eyes widening only slightly

"Mhm." Myriam nodded proudly. "Master Jovar showed me how to cast the metal, and master Gweryn helped me pick out the runes."

Nilvaine smiled brightly at his younger sister, slightly bowing his head to let her put the necklace around his neck, which she promptly did.

"Thank you," he returned softly, giving the girl a kiss on the forehead. "Now, I have something for you as well," he added with a wink. Myriam merely giggled.

* * *

**Author's notes**: To those among you curious as to why dragons have long, weird and hard-to-pronounce names, it has nothing to do with their 'ancient, complicated' language or any such nonsense. Dragons have long, weird names because they can!

Oh, and one more detail. Once more, thanks to Juopunumies for being a rather excellent beta for the story.

Explanations:

zhagra means fool.

(1)

_Ixiarillissatre the Many-scaled_

_Among the great wyrms of legend, one name always comes up as very important, that of the self-proclaimed Queen of Dragons, Ixiarillissatre the Many-scaled. Historians speculate that she was the first dragon created by the Maker, and that all others are her offspring, though the facts behind the fiction are known only to her. Before she left this plane of existence to travel the great beyond, she was already fifteen thousand years old, two thousand years before this story takes place, and had seen the rise and fall of many civilizations, more than a few made by her own people. Even today, she is considered one of the most powerful mages of all time. Her appearance is unknown, lost to the mists of the ages._


End file.
